Hello Shenzhen

A bilateral residency exchange programme connecting makers in the UK and China

Maker culture is dynamic and growing both in the UK and abroad. Maker communities are transforming the creative process - developing innovative products and forming new models of social, civic and educational practices. This new and emerging sector is internationally focused and digitally connected, but to date, there have been few formal opportunities for cross cultural exchange between makers.

The Hello Shenzhen bilateral exchange programme will build stronger links between UK and Chinese making practices, supporting meaningful collaboration and deepening learning between the two countries. We believe that forming this connection will inform and develop making practices in both countries, inspiring makers to find new ways of working.

Through in-depth residencies makers in the UK and China will provide collaborative solutions and research, responding to shared issues and interests. Significantly, residency briefs will be generated by maker communities and those who support them, covering a variety of themes including sustainability, education, community development and enterprise. In the pilot year of the programme (2016/2017) the residencies will take place in Shenzhen and the UK in March 2017.

Through issuing follow on grants to participants that have been through the exchange programme we are enabling ideas/products developed to come to life.

By documenting each strand of the exchange programme, we will create a bank of evidentiary research and insights which will complement and enrich the work previously carried out in this area by programme partners: including the Made in China and Living Research reports by the British Council, AHRC, SZOIL, and Nesta; and Shenzhen Makers@World, the flagship programme of The Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation.

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